For those of you that take lots of pictures of your gemstones

[T L]

. . . do you ever worry about them falling, chipping, or getting lost while you''re trying to steady a nice shot? Have any horror stories to share?

I''ve been taking so many pictures of my Moz tourmaline in my new setting, my new sphene and some other recent acquisitions that I had a horrible dream last night. I dreamt I took my Moz tourmaline to the mall with me and was showing it off to the ladies at the perfume counter (????), and it kept falling and getting lost. Finally, it fell too many times and it was chipped to death and had a giant bunch of inclusions that looked like black needles appeared. It also looked like it was run over by a steam roller. I know that sounds pretty hilarious, but the dream was so real that I was so upset when I woke up this morning, I had to go and check on my stone and see it was okay. Terrifying!

I''m such a goofball!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

YES!!!!!

I only take pics on the patio if I go outside because I had dropped a stone through my fingers as the stone was laying on the back of my hand! If I had been in the grass, I NEVER would have found it again!

 

[Pandora II]

No, I open the boxes over a stone cloth and make sure that there is a cloth on the table/floor before I start so they are easy to find and won''t be damaged if I do drop them.

 

[T L]

I think it''s really terrifying taking pictures of a loose diamond. I took a bunch of pics of a half carat diamond sitting next to an .8 carater recently, and I was terrified the whole time they were out. I was careful, and the stones were on top of a large soft surface, but still, they''re so small.

I have about 8 loose diamonds ranging in size from .2 to 1.75 carats (all fancy colored), and they fell on the floor all at once in my carpet. Fortunately, I found them all, but that taught me a huge lession.

I also detest when you buy a stone, and the seller doesn''t put it in a box, but in paper, or paper wrapped in bubble wrap. For the amount of money you spend on these things, would it be so much trouble to send it in a small plastic box???!!! I recently purchased a gorgeous sphene (an inexpensive ebay find), and the seller packaged it in a very nice small plastic box with the size and description taped on the bottom of the box. That was a very nice touch, and I''ll buy from this seller again (l because the stone was beautiful and it was sent properly). Not only was it safe, but it didn''t move around or get scratched. I spent more money at a well known site that many of us use here, and they sent my stone wrapped in paper in bubble wrap. Ugh!!

Are small plastic boxes extremely expensive????

 

[Pandora II]

The boxes I use are glass topped and cost about $1 each. The inserts are designed so the stone will sink down and then be pushed up against the glass so it doesn't slip around.

I buy them in trays on ebay - 50 cases to a tray - and keep them all one stone to a box to avoid damage. Well worth getting if you don't have your loose stones properly stored.

I think there are plastic ones as well - not sure as I've not bought them.

 

[T L]

It cracks me up because there''s this one ebay seller that advertises in all of his listings "free box." Like that''s the incentive to get the stone. I guess boxes are special, especially yours at $1 a box!! That''s not cheap, but that''s also good customer service on your part.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 10/6/2008 6:06:56 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
It cracks me up because there''s this one ebay seller that advertises in all of his listings ''free box.'' Like that''s the incentive to get the stone. I guess boxes are special, especially yours at $1 a box!! That''s not cheap, but that''s also good customer service on your part.

I don''t sell - the boxes are just to store my collection.

 

[T L]

Where do you get your boxes if you don''t mind my asking?

 

[Harriet]

I was photographing my Paraibas when one of them fell into the HVAC! I freaked out before I remembered a trick that one of my dealers taught me -- the flashlight.

 

[T L]

Date: 10/7/2008 12:42:39 AM
Author: Harriet
I was photographing my Paraibas when one of them fell into the HVAC! I freaked out before I remembered a trick that one of my dealers taught me -- the flashlight.

 

[Harriet]

The flashlight trick works on the carpet as well. This dealer and I were looking through his inventory. Because we were moving between rooms, he dropped a stone or too. We were on our hands and knees when he remembered the trick.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I dropped my sapphire once when looking at it loose, no damage .

I am soooo careful with my tsav, i hardly take it out. If I do, I sit on my bed. My BF almost droped it when opening the box wrong, he won''t touch it now...

 

[marcy]

I dropped a red garnet heart on my white kitchen floor and never found it and dropped an awesome color change sapphire down a chair and never found it. It changed from royal blue to red and was SOOOO pretty. Since then I open things up over the dining room table on top of a paper towel.

What is the flashlight trick? Thanks.

 

[Pandora II]

Either Ebay (UK) or through a trade account I have with a bullion dealer.

 

[Harriet]

Date: 10/7/2008 1:22:11 AM
Author: marcyc
I dropped a red garnet heart on my white kitchen floor and never found it and dropped an awesome color change sapphire down a chair and never found it. It changed from royal blue to red and was SOOOO pretty. Since then I open things up over the dining room table on top of a paper towel.

What is the flashlight trick? Thanks.

It''s no trick, really. Just sweep the possible areas with a flashlight.

 

[marcy]

Thanks Harriet. That''s what I do to find my gas perm contacts.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 10/6/2008 5:20:27 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

I also detest when you buy a stone, and the seller doesn''t put it in a box, but in paper, or paper wrapped in bubble wrap. For the amount of money you spend on these things, would it be so much trouble to send it in a small plastic box???!!! I recently purchased a gorgeous sphene (an inexpensive ebay find), and the seller packaged it in a very nice small plastic box with the size and description taped on the bottom of the box. That was a very nice touch, and I''ll buy from this seller again (l because the stone was beautiful and it was sent properly). Not only was it safe, but it didn''t move around or get scratched. I spent more money at a well known site that many of us use here, and they sent my stone wrapped in paper in bubble wrap. Ugh!!

Which seller, if I may ask?

I was terrified every time I looked at my Jeff White spinel, I practically never took it out of the box, except when I first bought it. I didn''t even look handling the box. I was scared to death I''d lose it, it wasn''t cheap! I was so relieved to get it set.

 

[T L]

Exportgems. He has some listed right now, but they're really huge and expensive. First gem I ever bought from this dealer, and I'm very happy with it. I'm scared to buy rubies, sapphires, spinels, emeralds from ebay, but I'm good with other gemstones.

Yes, I have some gems like that which I'm terrified whenever I open the box. I haven't had time to set my Mozambique curprian tourmaline yet (can't get to the jeweler), but when I do, it will be a sigh of relief!!

 

[LD]

A tip for anybody photographing gemstones outside - MAKE SURE IT''S NOT WINDY!!!

Yes, I know it''s obvious but I was photographing a pink diamond the other day when it was blown onto the floor

Thankfully I found it but it''s a lesson learnt!

Did I feel stupid? Yep!

 

[T L]

Date: 10/7/2008 6:08:28 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
A tip for anybody photographing gemstones outside - MAKE SURE IT'S NOT WINDY!!!

Yes, I know it's obvious but I was photographing a pink diamond the other day when it was blown onto the floor

Thankfully I found it but it's a lesson learnt!

Did I feel stupid? Yep!

Speaking of pink diamonds, I was reveiwing some information from a well known seller of fancy colored diamonds (I'm sure most of you know who she is, but I don't think I'm allowed to say her name). She had a parcel of four small brownish pink diamonds that she was selling for thousands a stone. Now these are very small stones like like a quarter carat to .44 carats in size and she filmed them and had a billion pictures. OMG, they looked just like my 1/2 carat (a little over 50 points) brownish pink I bought over ten years ago for $800 (I actually thought mine was pinker). I even asked my five year old what color my diamond was, and she came right out and said "oh that's pink mommy." Kids have an objective point of view. Now why do some people never know what they have?!!

I'm never opening that box again until I get it set (a work in progress)!!! I would hate to drop that on the floor!! I did once actually, but thankfully I have berber carpet.

It's been sharing a box with several other colored diamonds. I think I'll need to get it it's own box now.

Ahhh!!